The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) redesigned 163 pre-kindergarten to third-grade classrooms into interactive learning environments. These renovations built on the District-wide Early Literacy Strategy already underway in the District, which includes implementation of the Balanced Literacy Framework, a weeklong Summer Literacy Institute, and a full-time Early Literacy Specialist (ELS) in every school. This evaluation examined five primary questions over the 2018-19 school year:
- To what extent have the renovations and professional development been implemented as intended?
a. Which classrooms were renovated?
b. Who benefited from the renovations?
c. Who participated in professional development? - To what extent are classroom teachers satisfied with the renovations and professional development?
- How do teachers perceive changes to their instructional practices and student outcomes associated with the project?
- To what extent have participating teachers experienced changes in their implementation of the 120-minute literacy block?
- Did students in the renovated classrooms show growth in literacy and attendance rates? If so, to what degree?
Use the button below to download the 21-page report.